Secrets vs Lies
by Betterbuddy
Summary: The team learns a lot about what motivates Tony, when ex-fiancee-Wendy shows up at a crime scene. Not intended to be TIVA shippy/but it probably is. Contains spoilers for S8Baltimore,S9NewbornKing, and upcoming S9X15SECRETS.
1. Chapter 1

_Secrets vs. Lies_

_What is really the difference of a secret from a lie? Does it simply depend on the situation, the reasoning, or the people involved? By definition, a secret is a mystery that is kept unknown. A lie is a deception or a false statement intended to convey a false impression. Is a lie called a secret to protect a guilty conscience? Or is it a secret just a mystery to protect certain information that is hurtful to others?_

**Autopsy**

"Duck, I am starting to get concerned. He gets the Holiday blues every year, but this year has been worse. I thought by having his father stay at my place for Thanksgiving that he could get through the rest of the holidays with a better attitude then previous years." Gibbs explained to Dr. Mallard. "But. . ."

"But, now you are thinking it made things worse?" Ducky asked. Gibbs nodded.  
>"It had little or no effect at improving his holiday attitude." Gibbs corrected. "Is there any chance that he could help plan Palmer's bachelor party or something? He needs <em>something.<em>"

"Possibly." Ducky answered, unsure if Palmer wanted his best man, Ducky, to share the responsibilities of planning the bachelor party.

"Do you know what the cause of the yearly Holiday blues really is for him?" Ducky asked, as Gibbs shook his head indicating that he did not. "I will try to talk with him, too." Ducky added, after sensing how at a loss Gibbs was.

**One week later. . .**

**Squad Room**

"Okay, so you said an evening of bar hopping is totally out then. Well then, the way I see it we will need at least one keg of Beer. We start off with some basic Beer Pong, followed by Anchor Man, some Russian Beer Roulette, and Boat Races." Tony listed off holding his pad of paper, as he typed at his desk.

"No, come on Tony, does everything have to be a Beer drinking game?" McGee complained.

"Palmer already said that he did not want a stripper. And, Ducky is bringing the Karaoke machine. So, I don't know what else _is_ there unless you want to play a sport, McGee? If you prefer, we could play Indian Poker, Fuzzy Duck, Go Fish, and Crazy 8's."

"What is wrong with paint ball? Do any of these games not include Beer and getting completely hammered?" McGee asked in frustration.

"Well . . .no McGee. We are planning a Bachelor party here. Everything here involves Beer and getting hammered." Tony argued while searching up and down his pad of paper. "I think you are missing the point of a Bachelor party, Tim. This is Jimmy Palmer's last day as a single man. This is his last chance to do something incredibly stupid and insane." Tony said passionately. "And as a single man, this will be his last. . . "

"What are you rambling about, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said as he entered the squad room.

"They are planning a party of bachelors." Ziva interrupted.

"It is actually called a Bachelor party, Ziva." McGee corrected her.

"Palmer is letting DiNozzo plan it?" Gibbs asked, pretending as if he knew nothing about it, as he sat down at his desk.

"Yes Boss, he is. Ducky is the best man, but Palmer has requested a memorable night." Tony explained.

"Without strippers." Ziva emphasized squinting at DiNozzo.

"Yes, without. . ." Tony turned and returned her playful glare.

"As part of the autopsy gremlin's curse, he has been granted one night of eating and drinking past midnight, so we must make it count." Tony said continuing his taunting facial exchanges with Ziva. Gibbs looked down at his desk trying to hide a chuckle from his team. The bantering was interrupted by Gibbs' ringing phone.

"Gear up." Gibbs said. DiNozzo threw his bachelor party notebook planner in his desk before joining the others with his backpack at the elevator.

"What have we got, Boss?" McGee asked, as the piled into the elevator.

"A former Marine-turned Senator was stabbed at a press conference." Gibbs answered.

"That's a new one." DiNozzo mumbled looking down avoiding any potential angry glares from his sarcastic comment.

**Crime Scene**

"He had just given a speech at the podium. Then a man yelled something in Russian, pulled out a knife, and stabbed him in the stomach before running into the crowd. I caught it on my camera phone." The witness said.

After gathering the evidence and speaking to several witnesses, the team went to the hospital to check on the status of the Senator.

**Hospital**

He was stabbed in the stomach. He just came out of surgery, and you should be able to talk to him when he regains consciousness.

"Will you please contact us?" Gibbs asked, handing her a card.

"DiNozzo, you stay with him, when he does regain consciousness, call me." Gibbs ordered.

**Abby's Lab**

"Okay, well he is there right now. Sure, I will call you. Bye." Abby talked into her cell phone, but jumped when she found Gibbs standing behind her.

"Abs?" Gibbs prompted her to elaborate on the conversation she just had.

"Oh, that was nothing, Gibbs." Abby tried to shake off his interest in the phone call, which earned her a look of suspicion from Gibbs.

"Well, Gibbs, I have accessed the video footage that our witness caught on his camera phone." Abby explained. "And, I managed to get a clear picture of our stabber, which I emailed to both Ziva and McGee. It is running through facial recognition software." Gibbs and Abby both watched as the Senator was stabbed.

"Yeah Gibbs." Gibbs answered his ringing phone. "Okay, I will be right up."

**Squad Room**

"Boss, the man that stabbed the Senator was someone that the Senator injured in Iraq, when he was still a Marine. It was an accident, but the man had to go through months of physical therapy and rehab."

"Revenge?" Ziva said. Gibbs nodded.

"Do we know where this guy might be?" Gibbs asked.

"He has an apartment under an alias right here in D.C." Gibbs nodded. "We need to start a stronger protection detail of the Senator until we find his stabber."

"He did have several threats made against him, since he has been in office." McGee added.

"It comes with the position of being a public figure." Ziva added.

**Hospital**

"Hey, did he wake up yet?" Gibbs asked approaching DiNozzo, who standing just outside the Senator's room.

"No." DiNozzo answered.

"Agent Gibbs?" A hospital administrator called over to him. Gibbs walked over to the desk. "I really need your help, sir." She said and guided Gibbs over to her desk, as McGee and Ziva followed.

"I would like to interview the Senator as soon as possible." A woman said to them. Gibbs was taken aback by the investigative journalist, who had requested to see the Senator. She was arguing with the hospital administrator, as Gibbs continued to approach her. McGee and Ziva joined them and were already standing there trying to convince her that she would not be able to see him until he was discharged.

"Oh, I see. Is this just an NCIS thing? NCIS is now dictating Congress' schedule as well?" She yelled. "The Senator promised me a personal interview after the press conference, and I am not leaving until I get that interview."

"You will have to leave if you interfere with this investigation in any way." Gibbs informed her. He stepped over to her and looked her directly in the eyes with a serious, no-nonsense, Gibbs' glare.

"That won't happen." She shot back.

"You have been known to interfere before." Gibbs retorted.

"Gibbs, this isn't fair. I was supposed to get this interview." She said. McGee gave Ziva a confused look as she called Gibbs by name and knew that they were NCIS without even showing her a badge.

"Does Tony know that you are here?" Gibbs asked. That question surprised McGee and Ziva even more as to what exactly was going on.

"Hey Boss . . ." Tony yelled. He started to approach them. When he made it around the corner and saw them, a force literally pushed him backwards from the shock of seeing the woman who was standing next to Gibbs. Based upon Tony's stunned reaction, Gibbs got the answer to his question. To break the uncomfortable silence that involved the woman and Tony just staring at one another, Gibbs cleared his throat.

"She wants to interview the Senator, Tony." Gibbs said, looking back from Tony to the woman. Tony was speechless, but nervously nodded in understanding of Gibbs' comment. Gibbs approached Tony.

"Is the Senator awake, Tony?" Gibbs asked softly, hoping that the woman could not hear that. Tony looked to Gibbs and gave a small nod, so Gibbs left to talk with the Senator.

"So, you are a journalist now?" Tony asked as he approached her.

"Yes, well after my _divorce, _I wanted to reinvent myself. I also just wanted more out of life. Besides, _not_ everyone feels the need to use their bachelor degrees for what they were really for. You of all people should not that. At least I used my music education degree for a time." McGee and Ziva looked back and forth trying to follow the conversation and starting to develop suspicions as to how this woman knew both Gibbs and Tony.

"Tony!" Ziva sharply intervened. "Who is this woman?"

Without looking a way for a second, DiNozzo quickly answered. "Guys, this is Wendy."

"Wendy." Ziva slowly emphasized. McGee was speechless, trying to withhold a laugh.

"Ohhh, this is rich." McGee tried to contain a laugh as he stepped away with Ziva, so that Tony and Wendy could speak without an audience.

As Ziva and McGee turned the corner to join Gibbs in the Senator's hospital room, they spotted the stabber, disguised in surgical scrubs.

"Isn't that. . ." McGee started to say drawing his weapon, as Ziva shouted his name.

"You need to freeze, now!" She screamed with her weapon also drawn. Knowing that they would not fire with that many innocent people around, the man started to bolt down the opposite end of the hallway. Ziva and McGee managed to catch up quickly after chasing him down the hallway. They had him cuffed and started to walk him down the hallway to Gibbs. While they transported the stabber, DiNozzo bolted around the corner.

"Oh, you got him then?" DiNozzo said out of breath from running.

"What happened?" DiNozzo asked obviously surprised by what took place.

"Our suspect here was approaching the room where Gibbs and the Senator are. We spotted him when we turned the corner just a few minutes ago." McGee explained. DiNozzo was still out of breath and surprised by all that he missed.

As they approached the Senator's room, Gibbs stepped out into the hallway, where they were at. Gibbs was taken aback by how Ziva and McGee were escorting their suspect and by how DiNozzo seemed so frazzled. Gibbs eyed DiNozzo in concern for a moment, then looked over to McGee and Ziva.

"Nice work." Gibbs said to both Ziva and McGee.

"You can bring the suspect into NCIS for questioning." Gibbs stated, as he looked at both Ziva and McGee.

"I – I can take him in Boss." DiNozzo said looking at Gibbs.

"No, you go talk with Wendy." Gibbs said stepping closer to DiNozzo giving him an intense, Gibbs' stare.

McGee and Ziva looked back and forth from Gibbs to DiNozzo, trying to interpret the unspoken dialogue between them before taking the suspect to NCIS headquarters. As DiNozzo returned to the desk to find Wendy, she was sitting in the waiting room nearby, so he joined her. McGee and Ziva passed by with the suspect, noticing the two sitting in the waiting room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hospital Room**

"Senator, we are assigning you a protection detail." Gibbs informed him.

"I am a Marine, Gibbs, I don't need protection." The Senator said.

"You are a Senator, now, and you are being assigned one." Gibbs informed him.

"We need to know who else has been threatening you." Gibbs asked him.

"I thought that you just arrested the man that stabbed me." The Senator asked.

"We did. However, we are not assuming that it was just one person behind your assassination attempt." Gibbs explained.

"I will call my assistant, and he will get you those names." The Senator responded. Gibbs nodded as he left the room.

**Hospital Waiting Room**

Gibbs approached Tony who was sitting with Wendy. As Tony saw Gibbs approach, he wrapped up his sentence and stood up to acknowledge Gibbs. He looked at both of them a minute.

"Wendy, the Senator is ready for you." Gibbs said to her before addressing Tony.

"I am leaving you in charge of the Senator's protection detail, until the agents assigned to him from the Pentagon get here." Gibbs informed Tony, after Wendy had left down the hallway to the Senator's room.

"Boss. . ." DiNozzo started to argue Gibbs' decision, but he quickly stopped when he was treated with a Gibbs' stare.

"You have unresolved issues with you ex-fiancée." Gibbs reluctantly said. "You told me Christmas night that you might be _ready_ now."

"Yeah, well that was last year." DiNozzo said defensively. Gibbs got suspicious after seeing a haunted look in his eyes.

"That was seven weeks ago." Gibbs shot back with a confused grin.

"Yeah, last year." DiNozzo repeated. Gibbs looked away from him as he started to leave shaking his head at DiNozzo's comment.

**Squad Room**

"Somebody talk to me." Gibbs ordered as he entered the squad room.

"Where's Tony?" Ziva stopped and stared at her a moment before sitting down at his desk.

"McGee?" Gibbs redirected the conversation.

"The suspect is ready for you in interrogation." McGee said.

"I know that McGee." Gibbs said.

"Right Boss. We have information from the Senator's assistant, regarding those past threats. One threat started back in January 2011, then again in March 2011, and again in September 2011 for statements on anti-immigration that the Senator made. Those threats came from this man." McGee explained as he hit the button on the remote to have the picture brought up on the Plasma.

"His name is Eric Rodriguez. He threatened to expose the Senator for past war crimes." McGee explained. "The Senator had him arrested once, when trespassing on his property."

"He might have a connection with our stabber than." Ziva said.

"Possibly. Who else McGee?" Gibbs encouraged McGee to talk quickly.

"We just have some snail mail threats from members of his own political party as well as the opposing party, which concerns the upcoming vote. Some of the threats in this letter could be considered death threats."

"Find the person that wrote the letter, than McGee." Gibbs said, as he left the room heading for interrogation. "Ziva." When hearing her name called, she quickly followed Gibbs.

**Interrogation Room**

"He thought we were all terrorists. When I tried to tell him who I was, he did not believe that I was just in Iraq to do research for a documentary. I tried to escape his capture, so he shot me first in the leg and then in the stomach. For four months, I was paralyzed from the waist down. This afternoon, when I saw the man at the podium that caused me so much fear and agony for such a long time, I could not help myself. I yelled out what I thought of him and stabbed him."

"Did you know the Senator would be there?" Ziva asked.

"I was walking to the courthouse for Jury Duty. I have a summons in my pocket." The stabber stated. Gibbs signaled for him to take it out for them to see it. Ziva and Gibbs both stepped outside the interrogation room.

"He is telling the truth." Ziva said. Gibbs nodded as they walked back to the squad room.

"Call the prosecutor." Gibbs ordered.

"Where's McGee?" Gibbs said, as they walked into the squad room.

**Squad Room**

"Right here, Boss." McGee said from behind. "I found him, and I have Eric Rodriguez coming in right now." Just as Gibbs said that, the elevator doors opened with a man being escorted to the squad room.

"Eric Rodriguez?" McGee said approaching him.

"Yes. So this is NCIS?" Rodriguez said emphasizing the name.

"We need to ask you some questions." McGee said, as Gibbs and McGee took him to the other interrogation room.

**Interrogation Room**

"I am frustrated with how strongly this Senator feels on anti-immigration. Since my divorce last year, I have now received notification that I will be deported in another month. My wife and I got married in Mexico seven years ago. We were married for six years."

"You lived here for almost seven years now and you have a son, isn't that correct?" McGee asked.

"Yes. My name is not on the birth certificate because I am not the biological father." He explained.

"Really?" Gibbs questioned.

"I am incapable of having my own children, after having to undergo several months of chemotherapy." Rodriguez explained. "So my wife was impregnated via anonymous donor at a fertility clinic in Ohio in 2005."

"Ohio?" Gibbs questioned. McGee watched as Gibbs, tilted his head and looked to his far left to process the information.

"Yes, why?" Rodriguez questioned. Gibbs looked down and mumbled something incoherently, shaking off his own question. McGee looked at him curiously, as he tried to guess what Gibbs was thinking.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Rodriguez." Gibbs said opening up the door for him to leave.

"Boss?" McGee said as the exited the interrogation room.

"He is being deported. He is no longer a threat to the Senator. Besides we have no other evidence." Gibbs said.

"What. . .?" McGee started to ask a question but really did not know what the question was. "Why were you questioning him about his son?"

"It isn't his son." Gibbs said with a strong emphasis.

"I know, but why. . ." McGee asked persistently.

"And, that is why I was questioning it McGee." Gibbs said, walking away. McGee stood there more puzzled then before from the rather bizarre answer to Gibbs already bizarre question. He followed Gibbs back to the squad room.

"Ziva." Gibbs said.

"I talked with the prosecutor, and she is on her way over to talk with legal." Ziva said, as she talked she watched as McGee gave confused looks over a Gibbs. They watched as Gibbs got into the elevator.

"Is something wrong, McGee?" Ziva asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"Gibbs, when he was interrogating Eric Rodriguez, just asked rather strange question. When I asked him about it, he gave me an even stranger response."

"What exactly?" Ziva asked.

"Rodriguez said that he is being deported, since he has been living on a visa and got divorced last year. He said that his son is actually not his and that he was not listed on the birth certificate because he is incapable of having children, so his wife went through a fertility clinic in Ohio to become pregnant." McGee explained.

"Aaaand?" Ziva asked, curious what this had to do with Gibbs.

"Gibbs was really surprised by that the information about Rodriguez not being the father and the fact that his wife became pregnant via anonymous donor in Ohio."

"I wonder why." Ziva said, not really sure what the connection would be and why McGee was so interested in the information. "Where did Gibbs _go_ anyway?"

"Right here, Ziva." Gibbs said from behind her.

"Go relieve DiNozzo." He ordered. "Send him back here."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hospital**

"Tony." Ziva said approaching him, as he stood outside the Senator's hospital room. He turned to face her. As she approached, she caught glimpse of Wendy talking with the Senator.

"She is still interviewing him?" Ziva asked.

"He keeps falling asleep. She interviews for a while and then he slept for a half hour. Now, she just started up again."

"Sooo. This is your Wendy?" Ziva asked.

"Yes." Tony asked in a very short manner.

"Is it not interesting that you should cross paths this way?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, especially considering she used to be a music teacher and not a journalist."

"Gibbs said I am relieving you." Ziva informed him. This earned a frantic response from Tony.

"You are staying here, now?" Tony asked.

"Yes Tony, Gibbs wants you back at the Navy Yard." Ziva informed him.

"But I can't. . ." Tony started to panic.

"Should I call Gibbs, Tony?" Ziva asked teasingly.

"No, okay I am going." Tony said reluctantly, as he looked back at Ziva and then back at the hospital room where Wendy was interviewing the Senator.

Not long after Tony left, Wendy returned to the hallway, surprised that Tony had left.

"Hello Wendy." Ziva said with a smile.

"Hello. . ." Wendy said.

"I am Ziva." Ziva said. Soooo. How did you and Tony meet, anyway?" She asked.

"I met him in High School. I was his Music teacher." She stated with a little laugh.

"High School!" Ziva was taken aback by how long they have known each other.

"He was in high school? And you were his teacher?" Ziva asked completely surprised by the revelations.

"So how long have you worked at NCIS?" Wendy asked.

"It has now been six years, nearly seven." Ziva answered.

"I can't believe Tony has been working with Gibbs for eleven years now." Wendy said. She looked down and away from Ziva. "He has never lived or worked anywhere for that long before. Oh, that _Senior_ moved him around a lot." Ziva nodded in agreement that she knew that from Tony's past stories as a child moving from boarding schools to summer camps to different homes once his father divorced again.

After a long silence and sneaky glances at each other, Wendy finally turned to Ziva with a sassy grin.

"Is there something you would like to ask me, Ziva?" She asked.

"The Tony that I know has been challenged when committing to relationships. Basically, he never lets a relationship progress beyond the fourth or fifth date." Ziva said. The comment made Wendy laugh, as she identified Ziva's lingering question.

"Really? We were together majority of the time he was in Baltimore and then we were engaged for the first year that he was at NCIS." Wendy informed Ziva. Wendy gave another soft laugh at the look of shock in Ziva's face.

"You want to know why we called it off?" Wendy said with a grin.

"I was just curious. . ." Ziva started to say, but got tongue tied from being embarrassed.

"It was a mutual decision. I am older then him, and I really wanted to get married fast. When the big day approached, Tony learned that he was set to inherit ten million dollars once he married. His father never told him that he had a trust fund. As a result of this information, we hit a stalemate. Tony wasn't ready to turn into his father. How many cops have that kind of money sitting in the bank? It is naive to assume nothing bad would come of that. Senior never approved of his being a cop anyway." Wendy explained, stopping to look over at Ziva and finding her reaction very amusing. "I really wanted to get married. So after our breakup, I spent six months in Mexico and married a man I dated while on the rebound. I spent six years in a loveless marriage." Wendy openly explained the details which Ziva was taken aback by all the details.

". . .have you ever met, Senior?" Wendy stopped and asked.

"Yes, he has been visiting Tony and us a few times a year for the last three years now. They have better contact now. In fact, we had Thanksgiving dinner at Gibbs' house this year and Tony's father was staying at Gibbs' place." Ziva explained and was being treated with a perplexed Wendy from those details. "It was Tony's father that _spilled the __**marbles**_ that Tony was actually engaged at one time. Until then, McGee and I especially did not know that detail about Tony. Gibbs never brought it up. Even Ducky and Abby never brought it up either. . ."

"Well Abby never forgave us for calling it off. Tony said she gave him a really hard time for years about it. I don't know what is more surprising though about what you just shared with me, Ziva. Maybe the fact that Gibbs had everyone over for Thanksgiving dinner, Senior staying at Gibbs' house, or that Tony is contact with his father again. Tony and Senior really _had it out_ back in 2002 when he learned about the trust fund for this first time." Ziva squinted at her and nodded as she processed all the history that she just learned about Tony.

"Had it out?" Ziva asked perplexed by the statement.

"They had a really big, memorable argument." Wendy restated with a smile, as she started to pick up on some of Ziva's English-language challenges.

"Oops, he is awake again." Wendy said as she reentered the Senator's hospital room.

**Squad Room**

"Boss?" Tony said in a worried tone, as he approached Gibbs' desk. McGee stifled a chuckle from his intense entrance.

"Tony." Gibbs said strongly, looking him over.

"Why did you call me back here and send Ziva to be with Wendy?" Tony asked. Gibbs stood up, treating DiNozzo with a stern glance. McGee could not contain his chuckle this time, which earned him an annoyed glance from DiNozzo.

"I am sorry Boss." Tony said realizing that he had just questioned Gibbs' orders. "But, Ziva will ask Wendy a million personal questions about me." Gibbs continued to stand there, treating DiNozzo with a stern glance.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said again, starting to get concerned at the way Gibbs would not answer his questions.

"I just met Eric Rodriguez." Gibbs said. "He was making threats against the Senator because of his stance against immigration. He is being deported back to Mexico."

"Wow, really that is surprising." Tony said in response, becoming agitated and ready to just back away from Gibbs. DiNozzo was now getting a full dose of the Gibbs stare and his interrogation mode. McGee stopped typing because he wanted to give his full attention to listening to their discussion now. He was interested in where this discussion was going and learning why Gibbs was so focused in Eric Rodriquez now and back in interrogation room.

"They [the government] can do that to him?" DiNozzo asked in surprised.

"Yes, he is divorced now with no family in the United States. He is living on a visa and his ex-wife married him in Mexico—not in the United States."

"But he has a son." DiNozzo added.

"He is not the biological father, and he is not listed on the birth certificate." Gibbs retorted. McGee was now confused as he tried his best to follow this conversation.

"How do you even know that Tony?" McGee asked. "You have been at the hospital with the Senator this whole time." McGee blurted out.

"McGee." Gibbs warned softly. Gibbs shook his head and directed DiNozzo over to the elevator.

McGee was left in the squad room completely confused, and he now regretted his attempt at getting answers from them.

"McGee." McGee said into his ringing phone. _"What? When did the Senator die? Thanks Ziva, yeah I will tell Gibbs, when he gets back. No, no he is in the elevator right now with Tony. I don't know what is going on. Are you coming back here then? Alright, I will see you then."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Elevator**

After Gibbs pulled the emergency stop button in the elevator, just an irate Gibbs and a stubborn Tony stood in the confined space. Gibbs treated him with a strong, no-nonsense glare as he expected answers from Tony.

"Boss?" DiNozzo finally said, when he started to buckle from the pressure of being trapped in such a small area with an irate Gibbs, who was in full-interrogator mode.

"So Eric is not Fred's father-what do you expect me to say?" DiNozzo asked defensively.

"Who is the father than?" Gibbs asked giving DiNozzo an accusing glare.

"I don't know. Hey, Fred is seven years old, and I haven't even seen Wendy in nine years." DiNozzo quickly pointed the facts out.

"Rodriguez said his wife got pregnant from a fertility clinic in _Ohio_." Gibbs stated, still looking at DiNozzo accusingly. DiNozzo let out a loud, nervous laugh. ". . .via donor."

"Really, well it is a very enriched state." DiNozzo said trying to distract Gibbs. Gibbs looked at him critically.

"Come on, Boss. I know what you are implying, and the whole idea is just insane." DiNozzo said, now wincing at his choice of words to his superior. DiNozzo looked away from the irate glare he was receiving from Gibbs.

"I told you before Boss. The reason the clinic called was to tell me that no one wanted my little DiNozzos." DiNozzo tried to laugh off the discussion.

"I have never heard of a clinic doing that before, DiNozzo." Gibbs responded in a serious, low tone voice which shot chills up DiNozzo's spine. ". . .usually the clinic will call to request _more_."

Gibbs had gone from being just irate to irate and totally disgusted from DiNozzo's lies and distractions. His tough, fatherly love was running thin. He released the emergency stop button and turned away from him before getting off the lift.

**Squad Room**

"So Wendy said that Tony and his father then had an unbelievably intense argument about. . ." Ziva quickly whispered the details of the discussion she had with Wendy to McGee. When spotting Gibbs coming from the elevator, he quickly gave Ziva a warning signal, which she missed. As Gibbs passed by he treated Ziva with her first head slap in a couple years.

"Why are you here, Ziva?" Gibbs asked treating Ziva now with his irate glare. Ziva was still in shock over her head slap from Gibbs.

"The Senator has died Gibbs." Ziva said.

"I was supposed to tell you, Gibbs, but you were in the elevator with Tony." McGee interjected trying to save Ziva from a lecture or head slap.

"What? He was expected to make a full recovery." Gibbs said in shock raising his arms up in frustration. DiNozzo was hearing the discussion as he slowly made his way back over to his desk, with his head facing down in shame, after his discussion in the elevator with Gibbs.

"That is a little suspicious." Gibbs shouted out. "Did you both keep your eyes on Wendy the whole time she was interviewing the Senator."

"Yes Boss." David and DiNozzo said in unison.

"She would never kill anyone and not a Senator." DiNozzo said defensively.

"McGee, contact the hospital. See if the suspect foul play and then make sure the body is released to Ducky for the autopsy." Gibbs ordered.

"On it Boss." McGee said, acting quickly.

Gibbs turned around to face DiNozzo again. "You bring Wendy in here. I want to talk to her." Gibbs ordered. Seeing the look in Gibbs' eyes, DiNozzo was fast to obey.

"Ziva, go with him." Gibbs added. He could not see DiNozzo eyes as they closed and his mouthing a silent curse. McGee turned to the unfortunate agent still left to deal with an irate Gibbs. McGee noticed Gibbs staring at him, as he hung up the phone.

"It is all taken care of Boss. The body will be transported here. The hospital believes that the Senator died of internal hemorrhaging. I will contact Ducky then." McGee said, satisfying Gibbs' wishes. Gibbs then approached McGee's desk, treating him with an intense stare.

"Boss?" McGee said, noticing how Gibbs was looking at him.

"McGee, I want a full background check done on Wendy." Gibbs said. "This is for your eyes and my eyes only."

"Sure Boss." McGee said. "Oh, Boss, what is Wendy's last name? I never heard. . ."

"Try her married name Wendy Rodriguez." Gibbs added before heading up to Vance's office. Luckily, McGee managed to drop his jaw after Gibbs left at the realization as to why he was so focused on details of Eric Rodriguez. The conversation that DiNozzo and Gibbs were having in the squad room, which was relocated to the elevator also made more sense. McGee shook off any suspicions that he had and got straight to work.

**NCIS Dodge Challenger**

"So. . ." Ziva said to Tony.

"Where did you leave Wendy then?" Tony asked.

"Last time I saw her, she was at the hospital calling her editor." Ziva answered. "She was planning on going to his office, which is right here in D.C." DiNozzo shook his head at the news.

"So. . ." Ziva repeated.

"What Ziva?" Tony snapped at her.

"I had a very interesting conversation with Wendy." Ziva admitted. Suddenly, DiNozzo accelerated and continued to look intensely at the road.

"I think you two still care about each other a great deal. Any chance of reconciliation?" She asked.

"Yeah, well I care about everybody on Team Gibbs too. It doesn't mean I plan to run out and marry one of you." DiNozzo shot back. Ziva smiled and nodded, sensing the hostility from Tony. They pulled into the parking lot of the newspaper that Wendy was now working for.

**Squad Room**

McGee had found a good amount of background information on Wendy by the time Gibbs had returned from Vance's office.

"Talk to me, McGee." Gibbs said as he reentered the squad room. McGee noticed that he was more relaxed then he was when he left.

"Wendy Rodriguez is a forty-five year old, divorced, mother of a seven year old, who has resided in Baltimore for the last fifteen years. She was born into a very wealthy family; however, their fortune has suffered from poor investments. Her father had to declare bankruptcy back in 2004. Her birthmother died when she was a kid. She has a younger brother who was a Baltimore police officer, but he is now deceased. His name was _**Danny Price**_? Wasn't Danny Price Tony's old partner?" McGee stopped only to start up again, when Gibbs did not respond.

"She started her career as a music teacher in 1988, in Rhode Island, where she met a then 17 year old Tony DiNozzo for the first time." McGee explained adding a little amusement to his voice when talking about Tony. Gibbs returned a slight grin at McGee. McGee then got back on task.

"No criminal history at all. She was engaged in 2001 to 2003 to Tony. Then she married her now ex-husband, Rodriguez in 2004. They were legally separated in 2010 and got divorced in 2011." McGee explained, updating the Plasma for Gibbs to read as he spoke.

"She was a music teacher from 1988 to 2004. Then she became a stay-at-home-mom for almost six years. She took the job as a journalist in 2011. The only articles that she has written have concerned our now deceased Senator."

"So within two years after Tony and her split, you are telling me that her rich family declared bankruptcy, she married Rodriguez in Mexico, and her son was born." Gibbs reiterated a few of the details.

McGee agreed. He watched Gibbs in confusion as he continued to read information on the Plasma. McGee was not sure what connection Gibbs was trying to make, and why certain information caught Gibbs' attention."

"McGee." Gibbs said sharply. "Enlarge that page." Gibbs pointed to something on the Plasma.

"It says here that her son has a ten-million dollar trust fund in his name?" Gibbs turned to look at McGee critically. "How is that possible if that was the year that her family declared bankruptcy?"

"The trust was created after they declared bankruptcy, so I do not think that her family created that trust fund." McGee said. "That is a lot of money, too. A teacher would not make that." Gibbs looked at him critically with a questionable glance.

"Sorry Boss." McGee said, redirecting his attention to the computer screen. "Do you want me to try to find out. . ."

"No McGee. It probably is not relevant, but I will ask her when she comes in." Gibbs said quickly. As McGee watched him, he seemed to come to a realization or hunch before telling McGee to stop looking.

The elevator doors opened to reveal Tony, Ziva, and Wendy. They slowly approached the squad room.

"Still the same ugly, orange walls." Wendy said with a smile, approaching Gibbs in the squad room. DiNozzo had a strong look of worry in his eyes as he brought Wendy to Gibbs.

"Ziva, take Wendy up to the conference room." Gibbs said, in a casual tone, which caught all of them off guard. Ziva nodded as she guided her up to the conference room. Gibbs still had DiNozzo looking at him in the center of the squad room.

"I want to talk to you later, but for now, **you sit**." Gibbs said with a strong emphasis, pointing to DiNozzo's desk. DiNozzo let out an audible sigh as he was sidelined. This reminded him of how Gibbs treated him when his father was being investigated for murder.


	5. Chapter 5

**Conference Room**

"You two were the last to see the Senator alive. What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"The whole time we were there the Senator would wake up and participate in the interview. However, then he would just sort of pass out and go back to sleep. I just figured it was from the medications or surgery." Wendy said, visibly rattled from the discussion. Gibbs nodded, sensing by how upset she was that she really did not cause any harm to the Senator.

"Your husband has made threats against the Senator." Gibbs said.

"Ex-husband, Gibbs." She emphasized. "And, he did not know how much the Senator was against immigration until after I started interviewing him and after our divorce was finalized." Wendy did her best to explain herself to the legendary, master interrogator.

"Ziva." Gibbs said pointing his head in the direction of the door. Gibbs and Ziva went outside and closed the door leaving Wendy at the table.

"She is telling the truth, Gibbs." Ziva said confidently.

"I know." Gibbs nodded in agreement. "Look, I need to speak to Wendy alone." Gibbs said to her, almost closing the door in her face as he returned to the table with Wendy. Ziva was taken aback by Gibbs' abruptness.

"Gibbs?" Wendy said nervously, her eyes tearing slightly as Gibbs sat down. He got back up and filled a cup of water for her before sitting back down.

"So your husband is being deported? Can you handle raising a son alone?" Gibbs asked softly.

"I can Gibbs and I will." She answered.

"I know you talked with Eric, earlier." Wendy said, swallowing hard as tears continued to form in her eyes. Gibbs nodded, looking at her sympathetically. "Are you trying to give Fred a new father, since he is about to lose Eric?"

"Eric is not Fred's real father." Wendy stated. "Fred has no father."

"But he has a very large trust fund. . .a ten million dollar trust fund to be exact." Gibbs looked at her suspiciously. She nodded in agreement, not denying that information was true.

"Where did the money come from?" Gibbs asked. "It did not come from your family, since they declared bankruptcy before the trust fund was even created?" Wendy looked away from Gibbs.

"It was a gift from someone who did not want the money for _them_selves." Wendy said looking down and away from Gibbs.

"Your son's real father, maybe?" Gibbs asked bluntly. Wendy looked at him curiously from the question.

"I don't know for sure who Fred's father is. I went through a fertility clinic, and he was an anonymous donor." She defensively responded.

"_In Ohio?"_ Gibbs said strongly, watching for Wendy's response. "And, was this someone also willing to just give up ten million dollars to Fred?" Wendy looked away from Gibbs. She shook her head and was preparing to leave the room.

"I just want to know what your intentions are. This involves one of my agents." Gibbs said accusingly. "He hasn't talked to you in nine years, and I do not feel he knows you very well anymore."

"I don't have an agenda Gibbs." Wendy said.

"Then why did your editor tell me that you recently requested any assignments that involve NCIS running the investigation?" Gibbs asked. "You chose D.C. for a reason."

"You were checking up on me, Gibbs?" Wendy asked offended by the fact.

"The first opportunity I had after you showed up at that hospital." Gibbs said.

"Does Tony get a say in all of this?" Gibbs asked.

"It is no secret that I will always love Tony." She said.

"And since Eric is being deported, you want a father for your son." Gibbs accused her.

"No. I would not do that Gibbs. I mean if he wants to that would be wonderful." She explained defensively.

"What if he feels obligated or even pressured?" Gibbs shot back at her. ". . .obligated like when he handed that ten-million-dollar trust fund over." Wendy looked away crying.

"If you had left it with a Christmas card invitation for brunch, I would not be so suspicious of you." Gibbs continued. "However, you are stalking him. Especially after he stood you up on Christmas, you have started calling him each night -three to five times each night. Now you are a journalist only handling NCIS investigations."

"He never picks up his phone." Wendy said in tears.

"That is his choice." Gibbs said. "At first, I didn't agree with him either, and I thought he was making a mistake. But, I better not see you at another one of my crime scenes, Wendy." She nodded and stood up ready to leave.

"Here, you can take this elevator down to visitors parking. That way you won't pass by Tony." Gibbs directed her over to the elevator. Gibbs headed down to autopsy.

**Autopsy**

"Gibbs." Ducky said. "I don't work that quickly."

"I know, Duck." Gibbs said with a grin. "I just needed a break from everything that is happening upstairs."

"Really, well what is on your mind, Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs said with an exhausted moan. Ducky laughed from Gibbs answer.

"The Bachelor party isn't helping the holiday blues?" Ducky said with a smile. "What happened?"

**Squad Room**

"They are not even up there anymore." Tony complained as he looked upstairs at the conference room door.

"You were sidelined. You need to sit down." McGee reminded him with concern.

"Tony. . .just settle down." Ziva said Tony as he became increasingly agitated. Then to their surprise, DiNozzo stopped pacing and just left the room.

"Tony." McGee said in a warning tone. McGee and Ziva exchanged concerned glances.

"Where is he going?" Ziva shot back at McGee in irritation.

**Abby's Lab**

When Tony walked in, he could hear Abby talking on the phone. He hung back until she was done.

"Thanks for telling me all that Wendy. I will get back to you when we have a new case." Abby said. When she put down her cell phone, she realized that DiNozzo was standing right behind her.

"Tony, I did not realize that you were there." Abby said. He continued to lean on the table in the back of the room, with a lost and hurt look on his face.

"Tony?" She said again approaching him. Abby stepped closer to Tony. He had such a haunted look on his face that Abby did not know quite how to handle the situation. She froze when her phone started to ring. She turned around to grab it.

". . .okay Ducky. I'll be right there." Abby turned around. She gasped when she realized that Tony had gone. She continued to look around her lab before leaving to head to autopsy.

**Autopsy**

"I am here Ducky." She said running through the autopsy room.

"Here are the blood samples." He said.

"Hey-Hey there Gibbs." She said in a nervous tone.

"Is something wrong, Abby?" He asked, looking at her in concern.

"I may have . . .really upset Tony." Abby admitted. Her voice was filled with guilt. Gibbs and Ducky exchanged a concerned glance.

"Now what could you have done to upset Tony?" Gibbs asked with a grin.

"He caught me on the phone with Wendy. I think he felt betrayed." Abby responded. "I have talked with her a lot lately. I wanted to talk to him about it, but after Ducky's phone call, I turned around and he was gone."

"Really?" Gibbs asked, surprised by the revelation. "Were you really talking to Wendy?"

"Yes. I was really good friends with her Gibbs, when Tony first started here at NCIS. Then they broke up, and I didn't like how our friendship just ended. Since she became a journalist, she has been in D.C. so much lately." Abby admitted to Gibbs.

"I gave her Tony cell phone number, and I have told her the last few crime scenes that you have been to." Abby admitted.

"I accused Wendy of stalking Tony, Abs." Gibbs revealed to her. Gibbs shook his head, unable to even consider staying upset with Abby.

"Thanks for telling me Abs." Gibbs said, as he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

Gibbs stepped into the elevator and called DiNozzo to find that his cell phone was turned off. Then he dialed McGee's number.

"McGee, where is Tony? Is he there?" Gibbs asked.

"Ah, no he isn't. He left a little while ago." McGee said.

"He was just in Abby's lab. Make sure that he does not leave the building." Gibbs ordered. "I'll be right there."

**Squad Room**

"McGee." Gibbs said as he entered the squad room.

"He hasn't left the building, but I don't know where he is Boss. His phone is off and every security guard I talked to has not seen him. We are checking the security footage right now." McGee said, knowing that Gibbs was concerned, but McGee was unaware of the reason why it was so important to locate him.

"Thanks McGee." Gibbs said. Gibbs looked around trying to process the situation.

"I will check the men's bathroom." Ziva said, heading in that direction.

"She spends way too much time in there." McGee said sarcastically.

"It is something that we have come to expect from Ziva now." Gibbs said quickly.

"He was spotted. He tried to get to the parking lot." McGee said. "Security is bringing him up right now."

"Security is bringing him up?" Gibbs said shaking his head, not intending for that part to happen.

"I could have gone down there McGee." Gibbs said regrettably. Gibbs walked over to the elevator and waited for DiNozzo to be brought back up. When the doors opened, Gibbs saw a security guard near the controls and DiNozzo standing in the back of the lift leaning against the wall. He looked up and at Gibbs when he noticed that he was standing there.

Gibbs quietly thanked the security guard. They both looked at Tony, who after another moment reluctantly started to move away from the wall to get off of the elevator. Tony turned toward Gibbs looking defeated and waited for his next lecture or order. The security guard hit the panel and the elevator went back down.

"Where were you going, Tony?" Gibbs asked. Tony just shook his head.

"I don't know. I just needed air." DiNozzo answered looking away from Gibbs. "I don't really have anything to do here anyway. I have been benched again."

"We no longer have a case, Tony." Gibbs informed him. "Ducky concluded that the hospital was right. The Senator did die of internal hemorrhaging. Our stabber was already arrested, but he is now guilty of murder." Gibbs said, looking at DiNozzo closely trying to determine what DiNozzo was thinking.

"If you want to home, Tony, then go home." Gibbs finally said, as he looked at a very unreadable Tony. DiNozzo looked at him in surprise, but his face was very straight and serious.

"I thought you wanted to talk to me." DiNozzo said looking away, clearly irritated with some of the events that took place today.

"Maybe -some other time." Gibbs responded waving it off as he stepped away from DiNozzo. Gibbs joined the others by sitting at his desk and starting his report. To his amazement, DiNozzo did the same, as he prepared to write his report too. McGee and Ziva looked back and forth as they were wrapping up their reports.

"Oooooh Tony, Tony, Tony." Abby said as she ran full speed past McGee's desk over to DiNozzo, giving him a tight embrace.

"I am sorry that I talked to Wendy and didn't tell you." Abby whispered.

"It's fine Abs." Tony said, dismissing the whole thing in an emotionless tone. "She was your friend too." Abby gave him a big smile and turned to leave. She caught Gibbs giving Abby a wordless message to not keep it from Tony again.

"Alright, I am done. Good night everyone." McGee said, as he headed toward the elevator.

"Wait a minute McGee, I am coming too." Ziva said.

Noticing that he was now the only one left with Gibbs, DiNozzo started typing faster to finish and go home. He flew the last few details and printed. By the time he had the paperwork done and put in a file folder, Gibbs was standing in front of his desk holding his coat watching him.

"Done?" Gibbs asked squinting at him.

"Yeaaaah." DiNozzo said, almost out of breath from the quick pace. Gibbs waited while DiNozzo quickly threw papers and folders around his desk, so that he could head out too.

"Let's go now, DiNozzo." Gibbs said softly, watching him curiously as he wondered what he was doing all this time not to be ready to go by now. It had reached the point that Gibbs slowly headed toward the elevator without him. By the time the elevator had arrived, DiNozzo was next to him.

Now that he was going home, he was uncomfortable with the fact that he was standing next to Gibbs alone. He was nervous that the discussion would become all about Wendy again. Gibbs felt that he was being watched, so he turned to look at a quiet Tony, who then turned away.

"You want to tell me what is on your mind, Tony?" Gibbs asked. This earned a nervous laugh from Tony. Gibbs smiled at looked him over.

"Hey?" Gibbs said, still looking him over in concern.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Boss?" DiNozzo asked, thinking back to some of the events that took place today. Gibbs shook his head.

"I am not so sure we should go there anymore, Tony." Gibbs said. DiNozzo looked at him confused and wanting to ask what he was talking about.

"It bothered me at first all the lies that I heard today. However, when it comes down to it, the lies that you told and Wendy told only truly hurt you two."

"What. . .lies are we talking about again, Boss?" Tony asked swallowing hard and feeling very uncomfortable all of sudden.

"You led us to believe that you had commitment issues, when concerning relationships for years, and that is not the case. You led us to believe that Wendy dumped you because she didn't like your long hours and over-commitment to NCIS."

"That was part of it." DiNozzo interjected.

"However, it wasn't _the_ main reason the wedding was called off." Gibbs chose not to bring up Wendy's son. He just shook his head and looked hard at DiNozzo to make him squirm a little. "And, you led us to believe that your father cut you off from your inheritance. I have spent enough time with your father now Tony to know that wasn't true either." Gibbs said, looking over Tony.

"Yeah, well it is easier to just lie. It is easier sometimes to be a disappointment to some people than not live up to their expectations every time." Tony shared as the elevator doors opened and they headed to the parking lot for their cars. Gibbs shook his head, giving up on trying to understand some of DiNozzo's logic and actions.

"Just focus on Palmer's Bachelor party, Tony." Gibbs said. "Good night."

"Good night, Boss."

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading and for your feedback!<p>

Author note: With the upcoming episode of "Secrets" (S09 X 15), I could not wait three weeks for the episode. I wanted to have a little fun with the basic details of the upcoming episode. After reading a fan forum that included a group of fans that desperately want Wendy's son to be Tony's, I tried to create a possibility.


End file.
